Three northeast Georgia cities - Cornelia, Commerce, and Toccoa - have been designated Rural Zones by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
The Rural Zone program provides tax credit incentives to be used to help revitalize rural downtowns.
The Commissioners of the DCA and the Department of Economic Development have designated ten Rural Zones in the state, with benefits earned for a period of five years.
“With this program, we can focus resources on shoring up what’s really special about Georgia – the charm, history and sense of community of our small, rural towns,” said DCA Commissioner Camila Knowles. “I’m very excited about getting this program up and running, and what we are going to be able to achieve for rural downtowns.”
Community Development Manager for the City of Cornelia Jessie Owensby said, “This is a huge incentive that we can add to our toolbox. Added to the already great incentives that the Cornelia Downtown Development Authority offers, it places the Downtown District of Cornelia in an excellent position to welcome new business, and we are very excited to have the opportunity to see Cornelia grow and revitalize!”
City Manager Donald Anderson said, “We are so happy to be one of the first...cities to achieve Rural Zone designation. I hope that it will help the city attract new businesses to downtown.”
Other Georgia cities receiving the designation are Bainbridge, Fitzgerald, Jonesboro, Nashville, Perry, and Springfield.
